Kid Sells Kidney for iPad 2, Hopes Mom Won't Notice

While the Telegraph, in reporting this tale of lust and desire and monetary and technological need, seems to think that the most shocking bit involves the price that a Chinese teen sold his kidney for -- just £2,000! (that's about US$3,000) -- we find the idea of having someone cut into you and remove an organ that you can never get back just to have a new iPad, regardless of price of organ, has its own inherent shock factor. Yes? Maybe?

Anyway, a 17-year-old boy identified as "Zheng" sold his kidney to the folks behind an online ad promising cash to organ donors. He traveled to the city of Chenzhou, had his kidney taken out at a local hospital, recuperated for three days, took his cash, and left. However, upon returning home with "a laptop and a new Apple handset," he developed complications and had to tell his mom what he'd done (she'd already been suspicious, of course). This makes that tattoo you got on Spring Break seem pretty minor, huh?

The phone numbers of the people Zheng had been in contact with are no longer in service, and the hospital has denied knowing about the surgery. Now, folks are using the example to illustrate the "rampant materialism" (a/k/a "happiness") in China. If Law and Order were still around it could probably make a ton of money with this plot line!

The boy now regrets the loss of his kidney, reports the Shanghai Daily. That said, there are certain days we would very nearly sell a kidney for a nice, cold pour of white wine, so...we're with you, dude. Up until the scalpel.